Hatters Do Matter
by CameoRuby
Summary: The Mad Hatter simply cannot wait for Alice to come back to Underland, and so he goes up and joins her on her adventures, eager to convince her to come back as soon as possible. Hatter/Alice. Based on Tim Burton's.
1. Chapter 1

_**DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything with relevance to Alice in Wonderland whether it is Lewis Carroll or Tim Burton's imaginings. The only thing I own here is this computer I'm typing on…**_

_**Summary: The Hatter decides to join Alice on her adventures in the Aboveworld, eager to make her come back to Underland.**_

* * *

Alice felt the Jabberwocky blood slide down her throat. Immediately she knew it was no hoax. Finally, she would be going back to her world…but why did it feel like it was wrong?

_The Mad Hatter slowly took a step back as Alice felt herself leaving._

"_I promise I won't forget you, Hatter." Alice smiled weakly. _

_She saw him nod, but then he wouldn't meet her eyes. He took off his hat in one last salute. _

"_Fairfarren Alice. Or perhaps…it's goodbye." He murmured, and finally looked up to meet her eyes._

_But all he could see was one outstretched hand towards him. He suddenly snapped out of his depression and reached for it in a panic – but as he leapt forward to grasp it, the hand disappeared entirely…leaving only just a glass vial as the evidence of Alice's being. _

_The Hatter fell forwards as he lost his balance. He landed within reach of the vial and he slowly stroked it. _

"_Alice."_

"Alice."

"_Why do you leave me every time…why?"_

"Alice!"

Alice bolted up right.

The cabin boy was at the foot of the bed, staring at her in shock.

"What? What's wrong?" Alice demanded, a heavy blush appearing on her pale stricken face.

The cabin boy looked uncomfortable. "N-Nothing, captain. The crew thought you might like to be awoken before we reach the shore."

Alice nodded, thanking him. She began to get up but paused as he stopped in the doorway.

"And, uh," the cabin boy pointed to his eyes. "You might…well…"

Alice brought a hand to her face and her blush deepened. "Oh."

The cabin boy nodded before he left, shutting the heavy door behind him.

Alice crossed the room and splashed water onto her face, washing the salt away. She wiped her face on a soft towel before staring into the mirror. Her eyes were red and her blonde hair was frizzy. She sighed.

"What a good welcoming back to England."

Alice felt a little alive being back in her home time after three years. Leaving for China when she was nineteen, experiencing such a different culture for three years, reaping the benefits of a clean start, before returning back to her home, a confident twenty one year old woman.

She passed her farewells on to the crew, many of them so close to her that she almost shed a tear. They wished her luck, and then went to welcome (and test) their new captain.

"Miss Kingsley, this way!"

Alice turned to find the voice. Her mouth curled into a smile as she saw Lord Ascot hurrying towards her. He motioned to the two strapping young boys beside him to pick up a suitcase each.

"Miss," The younger one grinned and took the blue suitcase from her hand.

The older one said nothing, but winked as he took the pink suitcase from her other hand.

"Boys." Alice greeted them warmly. "I hope Lord Ascot has been treating you well."

"Ay, it's hard work miss." The older one spoke, rubbing his back, but grinning mischievously.

Lord Ascot let out a laugh as he slapped the boy on the back of his head lightly. He stepped forward and shook Alice's hand formally.

"I believe the trades went well in China?"

Alice nodded. "Splendidly. It's all set up for Mr Wiltshire."

Lord Ascot clapped his hands together eagerly. "Excellent, excellent. Well, this way then. I believe your mother is waiting with a visitor."

Alice's eyes sparkled. "Oh?"

"Yes." Lord Ascot smiled secretly, "But he wished to remain anonymous for some reason. Funny folk, hmm?"

"Oh yes," Alice smiled, "The strangest."

When she was seated in the carriage, listening to Lord Ascot's news, for the first time in three years, she relaxed and smiled genuinely.

She was going home.

"Continue on inside, m'dear." Lord Ascot urged, "Wouldn't want to keep your mother waiting, bless her soul."

Alice raised an eyebrow at the grinning boys. "What am I missing?"

But, as one, they all turned from her and busied themselves with her luggage.

Carefully, Alice continued on inside, lifting her skirts as she climbed up the stone stairs. A servant opened the door for her.

"Your mother and the visitor are within the parlour, Miss Kingsley."

Alice nodded thanks, then glanced around quickly. She leaned closer to the servant and whispered, "Who _is _the visitor?"

The servant just smiled secretly. "I'm not allowed to tell you that, ma'am."

Alice stood up straight and nodded. "Seems it's a very well kept secret." She muttered, becoming slightly annoyed.

The servant giggled and rushed away.

Alice continued on through the house until she came to the parlour doors. The doormen on either side chuckled as they saw her confused expression.

"Announcing Miss Alice's return." One called imperiously.

And the doors opened.

Alice gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in shock.

"Hello, Alice."

_A/N: First Chapter - how is it? I know it's short, and the next one will be too, but I'm posting as I'm writing, so I'll try to make them longer in the next chapters. Thanks for reading, please review :)_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Oh, I am SO evil :) I didn't realise this chapter was so short when i wrote it, but don't worry, the next chapter will be extra long to make up for it.**

**CHAPTER TWO**

Mrs Kingsley covered her laughter with a daintily gloved hand as she watched her daughter's obvious shock.

Hamish Ascot stood and bowed lowly towards Alice.

Alice blinked twice, just to make sure that it really was true – that Hamish Ascot was in her parlour, smiling, having just had a chat with her mother-

"Alice, manners." Mrs Kingsley sang.

"Oh." Alice recovered and moved her hand from her mouth as if she were scratching her nose. She curtsied clumsily to Hamish. "Er, hello…Hamish."

"Been chasing dreams so long that you've forgotten my name?" Hamish said rudely, a scarlet blush of embarrassment smattered among his face.

Alice raised an eyebrow, having no desire to deal with his rudeness when all she wanted was a good cup of tea.

"Evidently." She chose to respond, and turned to leave-

"Alice, we have tea." Her mother knew just what to say to get her daughter to do what she pleased. Ever since that strange party, where Alice had refused Hamish's hand (she blushed at the embarrassment it had caused her), Alice had a strange infatuation with tea.

Alice slowly turned and, as though she were walking to her death, walked over to the only empty chair. Beside Hamish. She sat and immediately was rewarded with a cup of strong Earl Grey tea. She dumped a load of cream and two sugars into it.

"Well," Hamish eyed the tea disgustingly. "I see you have not changed at all since the last time you were in England."

"Why yes, Hamish," Alice ignored him and opted for a well mannered response in case her mother took away the tea, "I had a _fine _time in China. It was very educational. In fact, I could share with you six things that are impossible here in England, but very possible in China-"

"Alice." Her mother intervened.

"-But, it would be of no use to you so I shall neglect to inform you." Alice very politely took a sip of tea.

Oh how she had missed the lovely flavour of Earl Grey. In China, at first they had very lovely tea, but after drinking it for so long, it got rather boring and bland. Of course, she had taken some tea home in her luggage. In fact, half of her pink suitcase _was _filled with different teas from China.

"-And so Hamish decided to welcome you home." Alice's mother finished, favourably nodding in Hamish's direction.

Alice quickly looked up to see Hamish's proud face. Obviously, it had been an ego enhancing story for him, and an embarrassing one for Alice.

"Oh, splendid. Thank you, Hamish." Alice faltered, after catching her mother's pointed look.

Hamish looked surprised, but his blush slowly disappeared.

Alice wondered how long it would be until she could politely excuse herself to her quarters.

"Yes, we've been having the same problem. Mother ordered someone to go out and shoot them-"

Alice looked up in alarm having entirely lost the conversation. "_Shoot_ what?"

Her mother and Hamish looked at her with confusion.

"_Rabbits, _dear." Her mother explained, giving her daughter a strange look.

"Oh." Alice blinked, then her eyes went wide in horror. "_Oh! _No, how could you?"

Hamish looked very annoyed. "They're only rabbits Alice."

"But-but-"

"Oh, I forgot dear." Alice's mother rolled her eyes and patted Hamish's knee. "Don't worry, young man. Alice just has a very soft spot for rabbits…and cats…and, well, _most_ animals."

Hamish rolled his eyes. So Alice was _that _kind of person. "Anyway, we found a rabbit hole near the forest. Must have been where they were coming from. We filled it in, of course. Dangerous as it was."

"Oh, _we?_" Alice repeated, "As in, you and your mother picked up the shovels and filled it in?"

Hamish blushed. "No." He glared at her, and tried to preserve some of his dignity. "_We_ can afford _servants_, so _they_ did it."

Alice glared at the attack.

"Oh you two!" Alice's mother laughed uncomfortably. Her matchmaking session was not going too well. "Bickering like an old married couple-"

"Am not!" They both turned to her and growled.

Mrs Kingsley raised an eyebrow and her lips curled with disgust. "You're really such silly children." She stood and brushed her dress politely. "Excuse me, I am late for an appointment with your father." She nodded to Hamish.

"Allow me to escort you." Hamish stood.

"Very well." Alice's mother nodded then gave a look to her daughter. "Perhaps its best if you get some rest, Alice. The voyage must have been tiring."

It was an order Alice was keen to follow. "Yes mother. Farewell." She smiled at Hamish politely. "Goodbye Hamish."

When her mother's back was turned, Alice stuck her tongue out at the boy. He glared at her and strode away.

Alice pulled the covers up to her chin, relishing in the fact that she was back in her familiar childhood bed. She smiled and snuggled childishly into the sheets.

Her eyes closed and she was completely relaxed.

That's when it hit her.

She had completely not noticed it at the time, allowing it to float straight through her and disappear.

The significance of the rabbit hole.

The rabbit hole that was now filled in.

Alice gasped and sat up.

"_Wonderland._"

She tossed back the cover and leapt out of bed.

She was just a ghostly shadow in her nightgown as she ran through the halls and out into the world.

**A/N: There you go another chapter! Read and review please!**


	3. Chapter 3

**CHAPTER THREE**

Twigs broke under her bare feet as she darted through the trees. The shadows might have invoked some fear from her, if she wasn't entirely focused on one place and one place only.

It seemed that deep down, she had not forgotten the strange path through the Ascots maze and through the forest. In fact, she hardly blinked before she suddenly found herself in front of the large, gnarly tree whose roots twisted around and within the ground.

Quickly, she circled it to the other side. With anticipation, she circled the tree at a quick jog.

Confused, she slowed and circled the tree slowly, one pale hand against the rough bark.

She circled the tree six times before she finally dropped her hand and stood back. Quickly, she glanced around the familiar clearing.

"I'm sure this is the one." She murmured to herself, a rising panic within her.

She looked around slowly. There were no other trees in the clearing. There were no other trees like this in the whole forest.

And then, she saw it.

The upturned earth near the base of the trunk.

She dropped to her knees, hands on the new earth. "No." She whispered, "It can't be true."

She quickly tried brushing the sand away but not matter how far under she dug with her dirt-encrusted fingernails, she couldn't break through to the hole beneath.

"He couldn't have filled the whole thing!" She gasped, thinking of the long eternity drop.

With a last desperation, she stood and jumped heavily on the mound of earth, landing on the ground with all her might before bouncing back up again.

The dirt held.

Letting out a shaking cry, she clawed at the tree until the pain in her fingernails was too much to bear and she sank into a sobbing heap.

It seemed straight away, but really it was morning, when a hand touched her shoulder.

Alice had stopped crying and wiped away her tears a short while ago, and the hand on her shoulder seemed so comforting.

"Alice." The familiar voice said gently, "It's time for you to return."

Alice nodded, knowing all along that she would have to one day go back, whether it be in the morning, or the next night. She stood wearily and wavered – but the strong arm wrapped around her waist, a hand on her own for guidance.

"Come along, dear child." His voice sang, as though she were in fact a little girl needing comfort.

Which, Alice thought to herself glumly, was exactly what she was.

* * *

It was a slow walk back to the mansion, full of silence. Soon, Alice found herself in a bundle of blankets, sipping hot tea.

"My dear, it was lucky that Lord Ascot found you!" Mrs Kingsley gasped, sending a thankful look to the Lord in question.

"It was no problem, ma'am. But I would like to know…" Lord Ascot kneeled down to make eye contact with the blonde. "What were you doing out there in the middle of the night, Alice?"

Alice could hardly say that she wanted to have a look at the rabbits hole, to see if the door to Wonderland (Underland, she corrected herself) was indeed closed. Instead, she just shivered and avoided staring eyes.

But Lord Ascot would not give up.

"Did someone perhaps tell you to meet them there?"

Alice's mother and the surrounding maids gave gasps of shock.

"Surely not!" Mrs Kingsley rushed forward, horrified. She shook her daughter. "Alice? Alice? Speak the truth! Speak-"

"My Lady!" Lord Ascot exclaimed, and the maids rushed forward to take Mrs Kingsley back to her armchair by the fire, where she promptly burst into tears.

Alice spared her mother a concerned glance, before finally meeting Lord Ascot's eyes.

"I am sorry for the trouble I caused." Alice whispered. "I did not mean it."

Lord Ascot gave a terrible sigh and closed his eyes. "Alice, you must tell us. Now." He opened his eyes in a stern glare.

Alice shifted. "You see, lately I've been having restless sleep." Truth, Alice thought to herself. "I usually wake up in the middle of the night, and then cannot get back to sleep for a long time, sometimes not till the next night." Truth, Alice counted again.

"And last night? Did you wake up and decide to go for a walk?" Lord Ascot chided.

"No." Alice shook her head. "It would be very silly for a young woman to go for a walk in the dark, alone."

Alice's mother, having recovered from her hysteria, nodded and smiled at her daughter. "Good girl, good girl. I taught you that right from the beginning!"

Lord Ascot seemed to ignore Alice's mother most of the time, but this time he agreed with her vehemently, and flashed a proud smile to Alice.

She had got a point of trust, just as she had planned so.

"Do you remember then? How you ended up in the woods?"

Alice hesitated. "No. I don't remember waking up and leaving my bed. I think…I just woke up in the woods and got upset since it was so strange and I didn't know my way back…"

Lord Ascot nodded gravely. "I thought so. The woods are so confusing during the day my dear, they must have been frightful at night."

"Oh yes, terrifying." Alice hid a smile. After a jabberwocky, a few dark places did not scare her as much now.

"Then, my dear, it has come to my conclusion that you must have sleepwalked yourself out into the woods." Lord Ascot announced grandly and her mother gasped.

"Oh, surely not! What shall we do?" Her mother rushed to Lord Ascot.

Lord Ascot thought for a moment, before counting on his fingers. "One, the door must be locked each and every night."

Alice did not like the sound of that. Perhaps she could use the window to esc-

"Should we lock the windows too?"

"Yes. Definitely." Lord Ascot gravely replied to her mother.

"Make note!" Alice's mother called to the maids, who looked doubtful.

"Two, Alice must have a cup of warm tea before she goes to bed."

Alice didn't mind that. She already did that anyway.

"Three…well…" Lord Ascot faltered.

Alice's mother came to the rescue. "Three – Alice should do sewing or knitting for an hour before bed every night."

Alice stared at her mother. "How will that help me to conquer my sleepwalking?"

Alice's mother gave her a strange look. "Oh it won't, my dear. But you'll improve on your sewing."

Alice felt a laugh stir within her, and she saw it echoed on Mr Ascot's face, but for her mother's sake, they both did not let it out.

"Well, perhaps I shall retire." Alice excused herself.

"We shall start tomorrow night, dear!" She heard her mother call as she left the parlour.

Oh, joy.

* * *

A week passed and every night Alice followed the same three rules – doors should be locked, tea should be drunk, and patterns should be sewn.

At the moment, Alice paused her sewing to take a sip from her Earl Grey tea. It was a pleasant flavour, but it was definitely rather dull. Perhaps tomorrow night she should bring back the Chinese tea.

Alice replaced the cup on its saucer and returned to her sewing. With a tired look, she eyed the boring handkerchief. How many of these had she made now in her life? Her mother had urged her to sew one with Hamish's initials, but every time she tried to picture herself presenting it to him, she burst out in laughter.

But even that thought didn't wake Alice from her melancholy. She sighed and threw the final handkerchief away.

"That's it. No more. I couldn't stand to make another." Alice stood and stretched in a very unladylike manner.

Sewing was such a boring task. Perhaps if she made it more interesting…

Alice shook her head_. Sewing? Interesting?_ _I would think not. _

She took a seat at her desk and pulled out the small, leather-bound journal. She opened it, her fingers caressing the thick pages.

With a wry smile, she held her hand up in the light of the near by candle. Her hands were pale and smooth, but on one finger was a small, almost invisible, callus. If she closed her eyes, she could still feel the hilt of the silver Vorpal Sword, heavy in her hand.

* * *

**There we go - Chapter Three done and dusted. How do you feel about this chapter? Comments? Questions? Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'd like to say a special thanks to ScaramoucheFigaro17 - your review made me smile :) So thank you!**

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Smiling coyly, Alice carefully turned over the page. Immediately, the smile dropped. She stroked the corner of the page briefly, before turning it over again.

Each illustration was from her dreams. Each illustration was drawn simply from memory. Some of the subjects were likable; some were a little hard to love.

When Alice reached a picture of the squat woman with an overly large head, she had a desire to laugh, but also glare. The woman's feet were on a pig's belly, and she stared straight at the viewer as though she was talking to them as the picture was drawn. Of course, this was impossible, as Alice had just finished the picture a week before.

Alice flipped to the first blank page she could fine, before picking up her pen and beginning.

Over time, the moon left the window frame and the night became lighter. It was when the rooster crowed that Alice finally looked up from her drawing and glanced at the window. The sun beamed down and she gave a slight gasp of surprise.

"Alice?" Came a soft voice. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, mother. I'm just getting dressed now." Alice replied, yawning as she put the pen down.

"Don't forget your corset and stockings today, my dear. We're going to the Ascots for tea."

Alice acknowledged her mother and crossed over to the dresser. Quietly, she pulled out the powder blue dress she loved so much.

She was ready quite quickly, although her mother would sure to complain about the stray golden locks falling onto her shoulders out of the messy knot on the top of her head.

As Alice passed the desk on the way to the door, she paused, eyeing her work critically. Bending over, she quickly picked up the pen and traced on the page. Once satisfied with her added details, she dropped the pen and exited the room.

The book was left open on the page she was working on. A picture of what seemed to be an orange haired man with a rather oversized top hat.

Later that morning, Alice excused herself before they left for the Ascots. She quickly ran to her room and picked up the journal and pencils, before stuffing them into a quaint looking purse.

"Alice, really dear, we must be leaving- what have you got in that bag?"

Alice swiftly hid the bag behind her as she looked at the clock in the hallway. "Oh, is it twelve all ready?"

Her mother gasped and forgot all about the heavy looking purse her daughter was carrying. Quickly, she waved Alice along in front of her.

Alice was a very well mannered Victorian girl.

All through the rather uneventful dinner, she remained straight backed and smiling. She didn't complain of sore feet after dancing with at least thirteen suitors, and she didn't even spit out her food when she found it cold.

Oh no, Alice was very polite. And her mother was basking in the glory.

"Your daughter is so beautiful, Helen." One Mrs White whispered.

The nearby ladies agreed, nodding their heads very daintily.

One lady put her own white-gloved hand over Helen Kingsley's. "Oh dear, you must have been _such _an influence on her growing up. She's quite like you."

Helen grew slightly suspicious. Everyone knew that Alice took after her father. She thanked the lady quickly and politely.

"But dear," The lady continued, and Helen realised that she was one of the new ladies from out of town, "Is she quite…well?"

"Well?" Helen repeated, uncomprehending.

The table suddenly got very quiet.

"Why, yes. You know…_well?_"

Helen finally caught on and she felt embarrassment spill out on her cheeks. "Of course she is." She snapped.

The lady retracted her hand and raised an eyebrow. "Yes. Quite."

Helen lifted her cool eyes to the lady's. "What made you believe such a thing?"

The Lady delicately twirled a curl of copper hair. "Oh, it's just she is already twenty one and has no suitor. My daughter was married off by sixteen."

A few women tittered quietly.

The lady glared at them coolly. "Well, what can I say? She was a lovely girl."

"Was?" Helen asked.

"Yes. I haven't heard from her since she ran away with him."

There was an amused silence.

"A joke, ladies." The lady laughed proudly and a few women exchanged smiles.

Helen was very glad the conversation had moved from the sanity of her daughter.

Alice didn't need to count the steps as she danced with Hamish. In fact, there was no point of doing anything as he charged around the dance floor with her, like he was trying to land an aeroplane.

She simply let her feet cross and sweep across the dance floor, staring over his shoulder with a glazed smile.

He had not talked for three dances now, par asking her for the dances in question.

The orchestra rang out the final cord and Alice curtsied, as was custom, before turning and applauding.

After the brief thank you to the orchestra, Alice turned to see if Hamish wanted to dance with her again, but was pleased to find him asking another girl, much younger than her.

Happy, she walked over to the refreshments table.

"A glass of water, miss?"

Alice nodded and accepted the pristine glass. Eloquently, she took a sip, scanning the ballroom. Her mother caught her eye and discreetly tipped her head.

Alice sighed, returning the glass to the bartender, before crossing the room towards her mother.

"Alice, this is Mrs Williams." Her mother introduced, nodding towards the white-gloved lady beside her.

"Good evening, Mrs Williams." Alice curtsied, and on her mother's hint, smiled a winning smile.

The lady laughed. Shock passed over Alice's face before she conquered it.

"What a fine young woman you are." The lady, Mrs Williams, chuckled.

Alice smiled faintly and turned to her mother. "Mother, I believe that I may be coming down with something."

"Oh, surely not." Her mother gasped, "You better trot on off home. I shall meet you back there by tomorrow morning."

Alice nodded, curtsied to Mrs Williams (producing another laugh from her), and then left the room.

As she disappeared, Mrs Williams shook her head with a coy smile.

"What is so amusing?" Helen Kingsley asked, contrite.

The lady picked up the glass in front of her and winked. "Your daughter pulls the wool over your eyes, my dear."

As she took a sip of her drink, she caught Helen's befuddled look and laughed once more.

The pencil scratched over the paper softly, leaving led remnants in the shape of the artist's imagination.

Drawing was one of Alice's most favourite lessons growing up, but she only gained a little knowledge from her tutors, as they preferred to teach her how to properly set a table, than to teach her the various methods of an artist's brush. So, Alice taught herself through trial and error.

Her favourite was colour drawings – shading in her pictures with every colour imaginable and seeing them come to life was a delight for her, but ever since the rise of price for coloured pencils, she couldn't afford the luxury. She may have painted, but she did very much prefer the sketching and shading rather than the mixing and plastic like appearance of paint.

So her pictures stayed black and white.

Alice took a break from shading the teacup to the left of the rabbit and smiled at her surroundings. She was back at the rabbit hole, naturally. Somehow, she still couldn't believe that the rabbit hole was filled. She usually did not like to dwell on the fact, preferring to gloss over it to happier things.

For example, just sitting against the trunk of the old twisting tree made her feel closer to the world below. Sometimes, she fancied that they could hear her, so she talked and chatted and basically spilled out all her thoughts and comments that she had to keep locked within her when she was with company.

"Hamish was a right bully at the party this evening." Alice's voice was light, quiet. It slid through the air with an almost dream-like property. "I stood on his toe in return."

The tree's branches swayed lightly.

She smiled, returning her eyes to her drawing. To any outsiders, it would look like a big blue tabby cat, with wide blue eyes and a huge toothy grin that hissed malice and trouble.

To Alice, this was her dear, long lost feline friend Chessur, the Cheshire Cat.

"Do you mean…she…" Helen Kingsley glanced around, wide eyes, "That my daughter…is _seeing someone_? Behind my back?"

Mrs Williams smiled demurely, winking at the contrite mother.

Helen lifted a hand to her mouth in shock.

Mrs Williams raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it good, Helen? After all, you haven't found her a suitor all this time, and really she already found herself one!" She took a sip of her wine, admiring a man across the room. "Really, it makes everything much easier for you. Hopefully he'll take her across the world and you won't hear a peep from her ever again."

"Oh, I don't really want that…" Helen ducked her eyes, examining the satin napkin next to her glass of wine.

Mrs Williams laughed, "Of course you want that, deary! I would too, with that kind of wild girl at my side."

Helen pursed her lips. "But she has became much more obedient lately. She danced with Hamish." She added as an afterthought.

"Yes, well." Mrs Williams eyed the freckly boy in question, "That is quite a feat."

"Fiona!" Helen gasped, her mouth curling into a smile despite.

Mrs Williams finally stood and waved to the gentleman across the room. "Well, I've found my partner for this evening…and maybe tomorrow." She added coyly, laughing loudly at Helen's obvious discomfort. "Bye-bye!"

Helen watched as the rapturous woman crossed the dance floor and was whisked away by the sighed, thinking about the days where she would dance with Charles…

A tear sparkled within the depths of her sad eyes.

* * *

**A/N: Thanks for reading! Reviews make me so happy I could futterwacken (Although if I did try, I'd probably end up in hospital...) ! **


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:**_A special thanks to Heather the Mad Hattress – because her reviews are very Alice In Wonderland–like, her pen name is awesomely cool, and she is simply a great reviewer :) Thanks for the helpful reviews ! _

**CHAPTER FIVE**

Helen Kingsley was not a nosy person. She was, under the façade, really a lovely, warm-hearted woman who had simply forgotten how to love. So when she deigned to explore her daughter's quarters for any clue of who her mystery suitor was, she didn't really mean to intrude…simply to investigate.

Alice was sure something was wrong as her mother charged towards her.

"Mother!" She exclaimed, standing up, "What is ever wrong?"

Her mother did not answer, simply continuing to stride toward Alice with an almost war-like disposition.

Alice suddenly felt like she had drunk some pishsalver. She curled back on herself, hunching her shoulders and looking at her stocking clad feet.

"ALICE. KINGSLEY!"

Alice felt this way because she finally seen what was waving around in her mother's pale, clenched hand.

Her mother reached her, a flurry of skirt and lace and general bad news. A leather bound book was shoved in front of Alice's nose.

"_What_ is _this_?" Helen Kingsley demanded.

Alice did not dare explain. She stood, as quiet as a mouse, as her mother's aura grew darker and darker. Helen Kingsley was not a woman to cross when she grew angry. Alice knew this, for she had actually inherited her general stubbornness and hotheaded nature from the woman standing in front of her.

The leather bound book dropped to the tiled floor. The sound of its cover smacking onto the tiles rang out sharply through the shocked silence.

The few household staff in the house suddenly knew that the parlour was not a place to be at that instant, and slowly, invisibly, they drew away to the safety of their outside duties.

"It's a drawing book." Alice said very quietly.

"I can see that." Helen snapped. She breathed in deeply, curbing her anger, before picking up the book with the very tip of her fingers. "Sit."

Alice sat immediately on the nearest object – which happened to be the table. Embarrassed, she slid on to the closest armchair.

Helen sat across from her daughter, breathing heavily through flared nostrils. She picked up the book and held it in front of her. "I am going to open this book. Each page, you will tell me what – or _who _– it is."

Alice nodded and slowly lifted her eyes. Her mother was looking over her shoulder, not making eye contact. The page flipped open to the first drawing.

"It's the Twins, mother." Alice said quietly. She pointed to the one on the left. "That's Tweedledee." She let her hand drop. "And the other's Tweedledum. You can tell because-"

The page turned and Alice became quiet.

"It's Absolem – when he is a butterfly." She said shyly.

The page turned.

"That's the White Queen, Mirana – Oh, and that's the Red Queen-"

The pages kept flipping and Alice said each name, trying to keep up, smiling with each turn.

"That's Nivens – Oh, and Mallymkun! – And Thackery- Bayard – Oh and that's Tarrant…" Alice's voice broke off and the pages turned blank. Suddenly, she felt like all the tea in England was gone. A cloud of grief pillowed around her-

"No." Her mother quietly – almost so quiet that Alice wouldn't have noticed. But, the single, quiet word had more power in the current atmosphere.

Alice broke out of her misery and looked at her mother with confusion. "Pardon?" Alice leant forward, "Mother, are you-"

"NO!" Her mother suddenly shouted, eyes watering. With a lunge, she grabbed the book and ripped it open to the first page.

"This – _This _is _children!" _With a mad craze, Helen turned to the next page and stabbed it with her finger. She looked at her daughter desperately. "This is not an 'Absolem'. This – silly girl – is a butterfly. A blue Monarch butterfly!"

Alice slowly leant back, wide eyed. Her mother was flicking through the pages with crazed eyes. "A rabbit – dormouse – a hare – a dog! – And…and…and this!" Her mother tore out the page with her sharp paper turning. It fluttered into Alice's lap. Her mother stood and pointed at the picture. "And that…that is a _madman_."

Alice slowly lowered her eyes to the picture. The cheerful orange haired man smiled up at her.

"He's…He's not really _all _mad, mother."

Alice looked up in time to see her mother fall to the floor and start sobbing in a crumpled heap.

"Why?" Helen sobbed. "Why - _my_ daughter? My…beautiful…"

Alice sat, frozen on the armchair. Her mother cried for a very long time, the weakest Alice had ever seen her since Charles died.

Helen heard a shift of fabric and quiet footsteps before her daughter's arms wrapped tightly around her middle.

"It's okay, mother." She heard her daughter's voice – innocent, pure. "Truly, it is."

Helen thought of a few things when she was crying. First she thought of why she was crying in the first place – what brought on this sudden emotion? Then she thought of her daughter – surely crazy with her stories of another world and strange people. The voices of the ladies at the many social outings slowly came to mind ("There's this lovely place you can send her so she can be with others like her." "It would be best don't you think?" "Darling, how can you put up with it, you poor soul?"). And then her daughter's face came to mind, smiling and her blue eyes twinkling oh-so-beautifully. But she hadn't seen that since she spied her daughter drawing.

And finally, Charles came to mind. Charles. The man who everyone thought was crazy – and he might have been – but it was a _good _crazy. The kind that really is just fun contained for so many years.

And that's how Helen Kingsley decided that she would not send her daughter away.

"Oh Alice," Helen said softly, wrapping her arms protectively around her daughter's waist.

An hour or so later, the staff heard the silence and wondered if the ladies were all right, and so they dared to peek around the door to the parlour. They saw the two ladies hugging each other, both sobbing on the floor.

* * *

A week passed and it seemed to everyone that Helen and Alice Kingsley were simply untouchable. They had such a bond that seemed so impossible that it inspired a mill of gossip.

"I wonder if something happened to make it so." One lady whispered.

"Perhaps someone died." Another said plainly.

"Well, either way, it's very strange. I don't know anyone with such a bond with their daughter. Well, perhaps Annie and her daughter. But you know why that is-"

"Oh, look! Quiet, they're here."

Helen and Alice walked, arm in arm, into the hall. Helen said something and headed off towards her table, while Alice, smiling slightly, strode slowly over to the younger table – saying hello to Hamish Ascot on the way.

"Alice, will you dance with me first?" He asked hopefully.

Alice smiled shyly and nodded.

Hamish grinned and turned towards the other young gentleman, boastful.

"Oh Alice, your dress is lovely." One of the girls complimented.

"Thank you, Jessica." Alice smiled, "Your necklace is quite stunning."

Jessica blushed pleasantly, and laughed. "Oh what, this old thing?"

Alice elegantly took her seat and accepted the drink offered. As she sipped it, she wondered how long she would have to stay to be polite. As a conversation started up about new garters, she decided that it wouldn't have to be long.

Three hours later, Alice was kneeling down in front of the big, twisting tree. She gently took her shoes off, placing the high heels against one of the tree's roots.

"Ghastly things. Nearly as bad as corsets and stocking." Alice murmured, and took off her stockings. She revelled as her feet found sunlight.

"Another party this evening." Alice wiggled her toes pleasantly. "I don't know how many more I can put up with. They are so _dreadfully_ boring. Not like yours."

She lay back on the earth, gazing up at the top branches of the tree in the dappled sunlight.

Biting her lip, she slowly spoke. "You know…lately I've been thinking. If the rabbit hole is filled in, then how will I get home? And, how will the White Rabbit fetch me?"

She rolled over onto her stomach.

"I mean, Underland could need me right now, but you can't contact me…so how would I know?"

She picked a blade of grass, twisting it between her fingers. A bird sang somewhere deep in the forest, the sound reverberating through the trees.

"Maybe I should find you." Alice thought aloud.

All of a sudden, something fell on to her back. She gave a flinch and looked behind her to find a small acorn.

"An acorn?" Alice wondered, "But I don't know any trees around here that – ouch!"

Alice spun around. Someone was throwing acorns at her!

"Whose there?" She demanded.

An acorn flew towards her head and hit her right in the middle of her forehead. "Ow!"

She began to stride over to the forest in front of her, but suddenly another acorn hit her from behind. She whirled around, and began striding that way –

"What is going on?" She muttered as an acorn hit her side.

She walked towards the part of the forest but suddenly tripped and fell. She collapsed to the earth with a muffled oomph.

Groaning, she picked herself up-

She froze.

How…what?

Slowly, she sat up and stared. Resting on top of the mound of earth covering the rabbit hole was a small, handheld mirror.

Alice quickly glanced around. "Hello?" She called, looking for its owner. "Whoever's there – you've forgotten your mirror!"

There was no answer – not even any acorns.

Alice leant forwards and picked up the mirror gently. It really was a beautiful mirror. Its reflective surface was edged with the most intricate wooden frame that seemed like tree vines twisting around on them.

Surely, the girl who owned it would be rather sad to lose it.

"I will keep it till I can return it, for if I leave it here one of the nasty boys might steal it and turn it into something dreadful." Alice decided, and said it into the forest, just in case the owner heard.

She tucked the mirror into her skirt pocket, and then gently laid a hand on the tree's trunk.

"How I miss you, but I will come home some day. I did promise you, after all."

And as she walked home, she didn't worry about saying goodbye, because goodbye seemed to feel very final – that she wouldn't ever see him again, and she wouldn't want that. So she simply patted the tree trunk lightly, and walked away. Sometimes, on the edge of the forest, she'd pause and turn around. She'd blow a kiss to the tree, and she imagined that the yellow butterflies fluttering around the open meadow would carry it high into the tree's branches and to Underland (thought it would have been much easier for them if the rabbit hole was still uncovered.).

* * *

"Your sister dropped in while you were away, darling." Helen told her daughter as she saw her walk in an hour later.

"Oh, how is she?" Alice asked, taking off her coat and handing it to one of the maid's.

"She's very well. Lowell is very kind to her." Helen said warmly, ignoring her daughter's obvious dislike to the man.

Alice muttered, "He better be."

"What was that?" Helen asked.

"Nothing," Alice replied sweetly and crossed to the stairs, "I'll be in my room mother."

Alice quietly climbed the staircase, taking out the curious little mirror. She turned it over in her hands. The back was a mirror too. She sighed. Somehow it felt like this mirror was meant for her, and it seemed so familiar…but she had never seen it before, at least, she didn't remember seeing it before.

Alice sat on her bed, thinking.

-

-

-

At first, when she returned to this world, she didn't remember Underland. Of course, after a while, small things in life reminded her briefly of it. A butterfly brought the blue butterfly (that Absolem morphed into) to mind. The two boys in the Ascots employment reminded her of the Twins, Tweedledee and Tweedledum. The little basset hound that the chief down the road owned reminded her of Bayard and Bielle and their pups.

And each time she saw something that brought a name or memory to mind, that night, she would have a dream that brought back all the memories of that something or someone.

The night she saw the basset hound was the night that she remembered following Bayard on the bandersnatch, the reunion scene with him and his pups and their mother, and that strange time when she was in a teapot.

Of course, there were some parts of her memory that seemed to just…appear.

The man – she didn't actually have a _time _when she remembered him…nothing brought on the memories…it just…_happened_. It was like she knew it all along. It was a strange thing…hard to describe.

Alice had thought long and hard. She had locked herself in her room for over a day, just trying to remember.

_This man… he was important and she knew he was somewhere. _

_But where?_

_And how did she know that he was, when she actually hadn't ever seen him in her life – in this world-_

And that's where she had paused.

_In this world._

At that moment, her hand holding a small pale pink hat, she _believed_ everything. She _remembered_ everything. She _missed_ everything.

-

-

-

In the present, Alice smiled into the mirror with determination.

She needed to get home.

* * *

**A/N: Read and review !**


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: Thanks everyone for all your reviews! I'm thrilled that so many are actually enjoying the story! I hope you enjoy this chapter :)_

**CHAPTER SIX**

Alice walked forwards, her hands out in front of her, pushing branches away from her as she made her way through the forest. She walked out into a clearing with a long assortment of tables, covered with different teapots and teacups and saucers and plates.

_But no one was there._

"_Hello?" Alice called, her voice an echo. _

_I know exactly where I am, Alice thought, but where is the Hare and the Hatter?_

_Alice slowly made her way to the table and pulled out a chair. She sat down softly._

"_Didn't you know it's rude to sit without an invite?" Came a seductive voice._

_Alice felt something soft land on her lap and she looked down to see a blue cat. _

"_Oh, Chessur! Hello!" _

_He purred in greeting, and then looked around the table. "It appears no one else has decided to join your tea party…how rude."_

"_If it's my tea party, then why would I need an invitation?" Alice asked, trying to confuse the cat._

_Chessur's tail tickled her ear as he got off her lap and sat in front of her on the table. "Well, I suppose you would not need one. But that is not the problem, since you can't have a tea party without said party guests."_

_Alice nodded. "I agree. But you are here, Chessur. We can have a tea party together."_

"_Oh, I am not here for the tea, luv." Chessur licked a paw. "I'm simply here to tell you that this is a dream unlike any other."_

_Alice raised an eyebrow. "How so?"_

_Chessur looked at her with almost disdain. "So you dream about sitting with me, and having a good old chat about tea party etiquette, frequently?"_

"_Well, no-"_

"_Then that is why it is unlike any other." _

_At Alice's confused expression, Chessur laughed. He disappeared and reappeared with a pocket watch. _

"_Look at this, darling Alice." His claw tapped the glass frame._

_As Alice moved forward, he didn't stop tapping the glass. Finally, Alice realised that he was copying the watch's rhythm._

"_Oh, it's ticking!" _

_And it was. The second hand on the watch was moving at such a radical pace._

"_Did Hatter make up with Time then?" _

"_Quite so." Chessur's watch disappeared and he dropped back onto all fours gently. "Though I'm sure they are still rather bitter. After all, Time is running a fast race in your world."_

"_Do you mean to say that Time is quicker in England than in Underland?"_

_Chessur simply blinked with a grin._

_Alice leant back in her chair, shocked. "But…that would mean that-"_

_Chessur curled up next to the milk saucer. "It's going dreadfully slow here. There's not a lot to do, really. Everything is so long and dreadfully boring." _

"_Well, the Hatter will have a lot of time to work on his hats won't he-"_

_A fur covered paw slipped over her mouth and Chessur's eyes narrowed. "Do not mention hats in Underland, dear Alice, for Hatter is not the same as when you were here."_

_Alice blinked. _

"_Well…Hang on, if it's going slow here, then it would mean that I only left a short while ago-"_

"_Ah, no. I told you that it is still bitter between Hatter and Time." Chessur hissed. "Quite an annoyance, really."_

"_Then what-"_

"_Time wakes up each morning and decides whether he'll be slow or fast that day." Chessur examined a lock of Alice's hair. "You've grown. It must have been…three years in your world, hmm?"_

_Alice shook her head. "Five, next Saturday."_

_Chessur grinned. "My, you age well Alice."_

_Alice blushed. "Thank you, Chessur. By the way, is this truly a dream?"_

_Chessur walked around in a circle before tilting his head. "Do you think it is?"_

_Alice nodded._

_Chessur's shoulders shrugged. "Well then, I suppose it is."_

"_Will I remember it in the morning?" Alice asked desperately._

"_Do you want to?"_

_Alice nodded._

"_Then you will." Chessur's tail twitched. _

"_Wait!" Alice exclaimed, "I want to come home!"_

_Chessur froze. _

_After a moment, he spoke, still facing away from her. "Do you really, Alice? Truly?"_

"_Truly! Wholly! I want to come back and I want…I want to stay." Alice hesitated._

"_Forever?" Chessur asked._

_Alice gently probed the idea. She did intend to go back. She did want to call Underland home. _

_She thought of her life thus. She had travelled the world, met people, done the things she left Underland to do…Her mother would be in good hands with her sister. She was ready. In fact, deep down, Alice had been ready ever since she stepped back onto England turf. _

_She wanted to go home._

"_Forever." Alice said absolutely truthfully. _

_Chessur turned and looked at the smiling girl, who was radiating with absolute stubbornness. He laughed at her._

"_Well, you are a silly girl. The answer is right in front of you."_

_And suddenly he disappeared. _

_Alice was absolutely confused. What did he mean? She leapt up and over the table, hands outstretched towards the mist left behind from his disappearance – and she was sucked through, the world going twisted around her._

_The strange thing is, she thought someone called her name…_

Eyes snapping open with shock, the twenty five year old sat up sharply in her luxurious bed. As soon as she did, she noticed an object right in front of her.

A small, handheld mirror with wooden vines twisted along its edges. There was a moment of befuddlement, before she remembered she had found it near the rabbit hole. She laughed at herself and picked it up. She turned it up into the sunlight streaming through her window and onto her duvet.

Excited familiar blue eyes stared back at her. Her face was pale, but there was a small smile pulling at her lips.

She sighed, running a hand through her blonde hair.

"My, already looking in a mirror and hasn't even got out of bed yet? Perhaps you've finally come to your senses?" Her mother sat on the edge of her daughter's bed and passed her a little red box. "Happy birthday my lovely daughter. Twenty five, and yet to find a suitor…or have you?"

Alice fiddled with the present. "Mother, can't the suitor talk wait until after breakfast?"

"Of course, of course. Open your present now."

Alice looked at her mother's excited blue eyes. What similarities they had. A pale finger tugged at the gold ribbon bow and it untied smoothly. Alice opened the box – and gasped.

Inside was the beautiful silver chain that Charles gave Helen when he courted her. It was the same necklace that Helen had put on Alice in the carriage before they attended her 'Engagement Party' at the Ascots…though that went terribly wrong.

Alice was speechless. She looked at her mother with absolutely shock.

Her mother had watery eyes. She kissed Alice's forehead sweetly and took her hands. "It's yours, Alice. I may not…I may not have any thing else to give you of mine, since it went to Margaret for her dowry…but…" Helen smiled. "I kept it all this time. Charles would have wanted you to have it."

Helen looked at her daughter's eyes and was taken back.

"If you don't like it dear, that's quite alright, after all, it has no pendant-"

But Alice threw her arms around her mother and hugged her tight.

"Oh, mother! Thank you!" Eyes brimming with tears, Alice hugged her mother with all her might. "_Thank you._"

Helen relaxed into the embrace, smiling lightly. She tolerated it for a moment, enjoying it, before she heard steps in the hall and quickly retracted.

Alice watched as her mother stood and left the room, absolutely delighted.

She carefully clasped the necklace around her neck and admired it in the mirror.

"Oh, what a wonder-" Alice's voice broke off.

The mirror had just shimmered.

Alice leant forward curiously. She tapped the glass experimentally. Her finger met with the surface, and it stopped. But a strange click, alike to if Alice tapped her finger on a tank of fish, echoed through the room.

"Curious." Alice murmured, "It must have been a reflection from the sunlight."

But even as she said it, Alice didn't believe it.

The party was in full swing. Guests played croquet on the lawn, cheering and laughing. The refreshments table was frequently visited by giggling guests. Tables of older ladies sat gossiping, and groups of standing older men grumbled and laughed uproariously. A banner, excluding Alice's age, was raised between two pillars, and many guests kept popping up in front of Alice, wishing her happy birthday.

Alice had danced and danced until she could no more! And then, after she had a drink or two, she joined back in. She played three rounds of croquet, and won all of them. She suspected that some of the men may have been easy on her, which made her very stubborn indeed, so she tried to get their tempers flaring, but they were well used to her traits and only laughed.

Even the two boys that were in the Ascots service were able to join in the fun.

"Hi Alice!" The younger boy said, whose name was Jack.

"Hello." The older one bid, whose name was Joe.

"Joe, Jack!" Alice beamed, "How are you?"

"Oh good, we're very good-" Jack grinned.

"Happy birthday Alice! We know you're twenty five-"

"-Although most don't. We tried to paint twenty five in front of birthday on your banner, but it went terribly wrong." Jack shook his head gravely.

Alice grew worried. "What happened?"

"Oh, he painted it on the banner being sent to an old lady in Welsh." Joe grinned. "Although, she didn't complain. She thought we did it on purpose, and so gave us an extra tip."

Alice laughed.

"Anyway, happy birthday Alice." Jack waved.

"Happy birthday!" Joe echoed and they both strode away towards a group of younger ladies. "Hey girls…"

The group of giggling girls blushed and giggled more, making Alice laugh fondly. The boys really were characters.

Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming pull to the forest. She stood, excusing herself from the table of ladies, and gracefully moved across the grass lawn. She walked casually in the direction of the croquet tournament, but when she was sure no one was looking, she quickly ducked into the forest.

As she made her way along the familiar path, she knew she would not have much time before the party guests realised her absence – for she was the birthday girl, after all.

Alice emerged into the clearing. A yellow butterfly fluttered behind her as she made her way to the magnificent tree. Holding her breath, she slowly circled the tree to the other side –

The mound of earth still covered the rabbit hole.

She sighed and leant back against the tree. She so thought that today would be the day.

A yellow butterfly danced and danced around a blue flower on the ground. Then, abruptly, the blue flower rose off the ground –

Alice leapt forward with a smile. It wasn't a blue flower after all – it was a grand blue Monarch butterfly!

"Absolem!" Alice gasped and the butterfly approached her.

She held her hand out in front of her and the butterfly landed on her finger. As Alice leant in to see the butterfly more clearly, it seemed to stare up at her.

"Is that really you, Absolem?"

She expected it to reply, but instead of doing that, it left her finger and soared in circles around the trunk of the tree, slowly going higher and higher –

Alice gasped, "Don't go!" She reached out a hand towards it.

The butterfly kept going, before sitting on the closest branch to the ground.

Looking back on it that evening, Alice did not really know why she decided to take of her shoes, stockings and dress. She did not know why she began to climb the tree, barefoot and only in her underdress.

But she did.

Alice slid onto the branch with the butterfly. Biting her lip, she glanced at the ground – then gulped and looked back at the butterfly.

"I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I actually really do have a true fear of heights." Alice took a deep breath.

The butterfly didn't seem very apologetic at all, since it decided it would fly two branches higher.

Alice looked at the ground, then up at the butterfly. "Well, I suppose I am already this high. I may as well go higher."

Carefully, she climbed up to the butterfly's height. She hugged the branch, her toes balancing on the skinny branch below.

The butterfly flew up and up. She couldn't even see it anymore.

"I suppose that's it." Alice sighed, "Now…how do I get down?"

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew through the tree, making the skinny branch below her bend and shudder before-

SNAP!

Alice shrieked as the branch she was resting her toes on broke. Quickly, she held herself up on the branch she was hugging.

She glanced down, her legs flailing in the nothingness below.

"Oh, don't fall now Alice! Don't fall!" Alice begged and with a mammoth effort, she pulled herself up onto the branch.

Gripping it tightly, she looked up. The butterfly was back, but it was high above her. Alice groaned.

"I might regret this." She muttered to herself, and edged over to the trunk of the tree. Using it for balance, she stood shakily on the branch. Her hand gripped the branch above and she leapt daringly to another branch. Her balance swayed. She dipped forward – Her feet met another branch as she jumped and climbed higher.

After a long, exhausting climb, she managed to reach the butterfly's branch. It looked at her.

"Yes I know what you're thinking. What did I do on a ship when I was afraid of heights? Well, I definitely did not climb the mast. No." Alice shook her head, letting her back lean against the trunk of the tree.

The butterfly's wings twitched. Alice glared at it.

"Not yet, butterfly. If I'm going to climb the rest of this tree, I'm going to need to get my strength back."

The butterfly turned and took wing. It circled through the air until it reached the highest branch on the tree.

"That's where I have to climb to?" Alice asked it from below.

She didn't dare look at the ground as she stood and began climbing again.

"Perhaps I'll have a view of the party." Alice wondered aloud.

Alice definitely got a view as she reached the top.

"Oh, wow. I _can _see the party!" She smiled, looking at the ant-like people on the lawn playing croquet. Or it looked like they were.

She glanced at the butterfly. It fluttered onto her outstretching finger, which was pointing towards the party. Alice smiled fondly at it, bringing it closer to her heart.

"Thank you, Absolem." She smiled.

The butterfly's wings got a gleam and Alice laughed, as it seemed to her like it was one very smug little blue butterfly.

The butterfly seemed to take her laughing insulting, and it moved off her finger and onto her dress pocket. It disappeared within and Alice could feel its feather-light wings fluttering desperately against her pocket.

"Oh no, are you stuck?" She asked, and gently opened her pocket –

The butterfly flew out and landed on her wrist.

"The mirror." Alice noticed, and pulled it out. It's reflective surface told her that she looked very wild indeed. She giggled.

The butterfly landed on the mirror's border vines.

"Perhaps you know whose this is?" Alice asked it.

It flew onto her nose in answer. Alice went cross-eyed trying to look at it, before it leapt off her and disappeared down a hole…

A hole in the middle of the tree's trunk.

Alice gasped, and leaned forward.

A penny-sized hole was perfectly cut through the middle of the tree trunk.

Suddenly, Alice realised that this was the same tree that had a rabbit's hole under it.

What if…what if?

Alice leant forward and carefully placed her eye against the hole.

It was dim inside, but further down there was a tiny pinprick of light. The trunk was definitely hollow. Suddenly, the light cut off – but then it was there again.

"It must be Absolem flying down…" Alice gasped, "To Wonderland!"

The mirror in Alice's hand moved slightly against her will. Alice gasped and leant back from the tree – suddenly, she began to fall backwards.

Her hands grabbed for non existent branches as she fell down… down…

Her hand clawed into the branch, making Alice gasp in pain. Her shoulder jolted out of its socket and her whole arm stung with pain. Alice grabbed onto the branch with her other hand and pulled herself up.

Stunned, she nursed her hand and looked up. She had fell perhaps ten metres. It could have been worse…

Alice looked at the ground, far below her.

Something glittered from there.

"Mirror!" Alice gasped and looked from side to side.

How was she going to get down?

Alice leant over the branch slightly and let her feet fall. Slowly she lowered herself to the next branch down. She edged towards the centre of the tree before continuing her method.

"This is all right. I can do it." Alice told herself.

A long time later, Alice finally dropped to the ground. She smiled at herself momentarily, and then suddenly she remembered her mirror.

It lay in the dimming light, glinting. Alice rushed over, holding her breath –

"Oh." She let her breath whoosh out, and picked up the mirror carefully. "I'm glad you're not broken."

The mirror fit delicately back into her dress pocket. Slowly, she pulled on her stockings and shoes, and then pulled her dress over her head. Luckily, she had worn one of the easiest dresses to put on.

Smoothing out the wrinkles in her skirt, she wondered briefly why the mirror had moved in her hand. Perhaps it was her grip…or lack of it.

Alice smoothed her hair, looking into the mirror for reference.

It occurred to her that she seemed very self-conscious lately, taking out the mirror for any old use. She pursed her lips and tucked her mirror back her pocket.

Alice turned around and waved at the tree (and the butterfly within it).

"I know I'll make it back someday, Absolem." She said brightly. "I just hope the White Rabbit fetches me soon." Alice paused. "Oh…he wouldn't be able to if there's no rabbit hole, would he?"

Alice froze.

"But…there is another hole." Alice looked at the top of the tree. "It's too small, unless I had a lot of Pishsalver. But it's there…Oh, it must have been you Absolem!"

Suddenly, her world seemed brighter.

"I will go back – I'll go back to Underland, my Wonderland-"

Alice gasped as her dress vibrated. She lifted her skirts up (in a very unladylike manner, but no one was around) and stuck her hand into her dress pocket, pulling out the mirror.

"Alice, my dear, you are so very troublesome to talk to."

Chessur grinned, alike to her dream.

"We have something _very_ important to discuss." He purred, "Just you and I."

* * *

_A/N: Who doesn't love a bit of Chessur goodness? I lurve him. Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next one will be up within the next week (my school term's starting again on Monday)._


	7. Chapter 7

_Is Alice finally going to be reunited with Wonderland and a certain Hatter?_

_Read on to find out!_

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

The wind stirred in the clearing, the moonlight highlighting the young woman sitting cross-legged in a patch of periwinkle flowers.

"All those times, you tried to contact me?" Alice spoke into the mirror.

The giddiness from seeing Chessur in the mirror had slowly dimmed, leaving an ache and a bad feeling in Alice's chest.

Chessur nodded. "You see, that blasted boy – Harry or whoever – filled in the only way so far that Nivens could get through to your part of your world."

Alice felt a swell of anger towards Hamish as she heard Chessur's sad words.

"But of course, you didn't help much." Chessur grinned. "Do you talk to trees often?"

Alice poked her tongue out at him. "Only if they talk back!"

Chessur laughed quietly, loving her muchness.

"So is there no way for me to return?" Alice asked, an overwhelming grief building up inside her.

Chessur licked a paw. "Do you have any Jabberwocky blood left?"

Alice shook her head.

"Well…that's a problem, I suppose…" Chessur had a strange gleam in his eyes that Alice preferred to ignore for now.

"How about the tree?" Alice asked, pointing to the tip of it.

Chessur laughed. "The tree? Do you really think that Pishsalver works in your world? Use your head Alice."

Embarrassed, Alice did not reply.

Chessur seemed to look around him anxiously, which made Alice curious.

"Where are you?" She asked him.

He looked very smug. "The Queen's Chambers. Mirana's that is."

Alice gasped. "How did you get in there?"

He raised an eyebrow. "I'm a cat with evaporating skills, Alice. How do _you _think I got in here? … I have a hint for you – I certainly did not use the door."

Alice would have taken offence to the tone he was using with her, but she knew that it was simply his nature, and instead, smiled sweetly at him.

"Tell me, Alice, when is the last time you went into your father's study?"

Alice blanched and nearly dropped the mirror.

"Hmm, that is what I thought." Chessur sighed. "You know, going back in there won't make him rise from the dead."

Alice's heart constricted painfully and she suddenly had to look up at the stars in the sky-

"Oh no!" Alice exclaimed, leaping up and beginning to run through the forest.

"Late, are we?" Chessur's voice came from the mirror. "I was wondering when you were going to notice."

"Oh, shush." She said and began to tuck the mirror away in her underdress pocket.

Chessur gave an indignant yowl and Alice laughed. She was sure he would have left the mirror on the sight of her lifting skirt.

Chessur did not like being shoved into a lady's underskirt. In fact, he detested it. And so he made it very difficult for Alice that lovely May night…

The first problem occurred in what seemed like a general matter.

A young suitor, who was handsome, but uptight, came to wish Alice a happy birthday and introduce himself. He then took it upon himself to ask her for a dance. She accepted.

It was a lively dance, with lots of twirling and synchronised lifts –

But poor Chessur was not enjoying it at all. He felt dizzy, sitting on the fireplace, staring into the mirror that seemed to jumble around. It gave him quite a headache.

"Alice!" He hissed, and clawed the mirror.

"Did you hear that?" Alice asked the young suitor, whose name had escaped her. She could have sworn she heard a ripping noise.

The suitor did not turn his head, but glanced at her, a smile still on his face.

"Hear what, miss?"

Alice shook her head, and focused on the dance. This was her most favourite dance, after all, because of all the lifts. She quite liked being held in the air – and not because of the man who was holding her – oh no, not at all. It just made her feel very free, like she were flying, as she was spun around in mid air, her hair flying out.

She let out a carefree laugh as he lifted her again, which made him blush bright red. A few couples nearby gave them a strange look.

"Oh, Alice, playing your games." Her suitor laughed shortly, "Hamish told me you were very playful."

He punctuated the last word with setting her on the ground heavily. She collected herself and glared at him, stopping dancing all together.

"How rude!" A lady nearby exclaimed as they interfered with her dance course.

"Pardon, pardon!" The young man apologised, and tugged Alice off the dance floor.

The spinning circles went on for the other dancers as he escorted Alice to her place, before bowing, and hurrying off, shaking his head.

Alice felt her mother's eyes on her and gave a snort. Her night was going well until he was rude. She sat down and yawned.

Suddenly, she realised that there was a very strange sound beneath all the lovely classical music playing for the party. It was very strange indeed. A low, murmuring sound…and it was close.

Alice glanced around, before clapping her hand over her mouth to quiet her laughter. Something was tickling her.

She wrapped her arms around her torso, choking back her giggles.

"S-stop!" She gasped, before covering her mouth again.

There was a familiar, ominous laugh. Alice's eyes began to water. Her leg jerked out from beneath her dress as the torture continued.

"Ch-Chessur! Stop! Pl-" Alice couldn't keep the laugh from escaping, and once she let that one out, the rest followed with rapid procession.

She squirmed and giggled, kicking her feet. She realised that she had gotten the attention of a few ladies nearby.

She tried to restrain herself, breathing deeply. She pretended to drop her fan and leaned down to get it.

"Ch-Chessur," she giggled, cross, "Stop it! Stop it now!"

The furry thing froze.

Alice breathed a sigh of relief- before a laugh burst from within her. _Not fair! _Alice thought, _you took me unaware you silly cat!_

A swish of cream fabric entered Alice's vision. She froze.

"Alice?" Helen Kingsley's voice sounded from above. "What _are_ you doing?"

The tickling stopped, and Alice retrieved her fan, quickly sitting upright. She smiled brightly at her mother, uncurling the fan.

"Oh," She gasped, fanning herself rapidly, "I need to catch my breath after all that dancing." She fluttered her eyelashes convincingly.

Helen raised an eyebrow. "Lord Marvin alerted me to your ill health. He said you were feeling rather feverish. Are you quite alright?"

Alice's eyes narrowed. So that was his name…Lord _Marvin_. She blinked at her mother.

"Pardon? What was that?" She asked her, not catching the end of her sentence.

Helen's lips pursed. "You do seem rather feverish. Perhaps you should retire…?"

"But it would be rude, wouldn't it? It is my party after all…" Alice trailed off, not really wanting to leave the outside air to be confined within a house again.

Helen laughed. "But dear, you are not livening up the atmosphere. And many of the guests have already left."

Alice glanced over at the pile of cards on the table to her right. "Oh."

Helen gave a short nod. "Yes. All good cards, everyone was very satisfied."

Alice nodded. "Oh, that's…nice."

Helen sighed. "Hamish is going to escort you home – it wouldn't be wise for you to go home alone. Especially in your health."

Alice wished her mother goodnight and watched her walk away, before turning –

"Oh!" She gasped, clutching at her heart.

Hamish Ascot raised an eyebrow. "Really, you are easy to frighten, Alice."

Alice glared at him. "I'm only frightened by silly boys who think it wise to stand behind a woman-"

"I, Alice, am a _man_. A _lord_. I'm no little boy. Unlike you." Hamish retorted proudly.

Alice raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, I'm a boy? I don't think so. In case you didn't notice, I am wearing a dress, thus signifying I am a woman."

Hamish was very flustered. He took her elbow roughly and with long steps began to half guide, half pull, her towards the sombre black carriage. He opened the door, shoved her inside and got in after her.

"Excuse you!" Alice cried indignantly.

Hamish stuck his nose up at her. "Like _you _have manners at all."

Alice wished to poke her tongue out at him, but decided he would probably call her immature, and so instead decided to defiantly stare out the window of the carriage… until Hamish pulled the curtain down.

Alice glared at him. "And why did you do that?"

He just smugly smiled and ignored her.

Needless to say, the carriage trip was rather silent and very tedious.

Alice got out of the carriage, totally unassisted by Hamish. He simply wished her a 'Good evening', and then barked an order at the driver.

Alice was within the house before the dust kicked up by the horse and carriage could even settle. She gave a frustrated sigh, standing on one foot to take off her shoe. She took the other one off, her sore feet aching.

"May I take your coat?" A maid offered and Alice thanked her.

Exhausted, she began to make her way to her room, before his voice interrupted.

"I _do_ believe you're going the wrong way…"

Alice took out the mirror. "No, Chessur. I _do _believe I'm going the correct way."

The cat grinned. "Whatever whichever you please."

Alice's feet rang out as she took two steps, before she took the bait. "Fine. Which way should I be going?"

Chessur's furry striped tail slowly pointed out of the mirror-

Alice gasped. "Hey! _You_ tickled me at the party! …But how?" She touched the blue and black stripes of fur on his tail.

Offended, the cat withdrew his tail back through the mirror. "How what?"

Alice pointed. "You can go through the-"

"Looking glass?" Chessur watched the girl's eyes flash with recognition. "Yes, I can…slightly."

"Slightly?" Alice asked, curious as ever.

The cat didn't reply, instead watched with bored eyes as she grew ever more excited.

"Oh! That means – surely – that I could go through and end up in Wonderland-"

"Afraid not, luv." Chessur purred.

"Why ever not?" Alice exclaimed. It seemed that every time she discovered a gateway back to Underland, it was ripped away from her.

"_Why ever not_?" Chessur repeated slowly. "Well, perhaps the fact that _size _is an issue." He trailed off, hinting.

"Oh." Alice frowned. "Pishsalver doesn't work here."

Chessur licked a paw daintily. "I can hardly see you fitting through. Quite unfortunate about the Pishsalver though…I would ever so much like to shrink your tongue. I noticed you like wagging it around a lot…" He chuckled at her scarlet face. "Rather childish, poking out your tongue, isn't it?"

Alice poked her tongue out at him, before quickly correcting her mistake. However, she was not fast enough as Chessur's loud laugh filled the hall.

"Miss, are you alright?" A servant called from downstairs.

"Uh," Alice coughed over Chessur's giddiness. "Yes, I'm fine. Just a cough. Nothing a bit of rest can't cure -"

She hurried through the twisting halls towards her room. Chessur watched the process from the mirror, taking an interest in Alice's bright red face and hazardous hair.

So, it was natural that he would notice when her eyes suddenly became dull and nervous. He raised an eyebrow as he noticed her skirting across to the other side of the hall, quickening her pace. She avoided the door as though it had some sort of catchy disease.

"May I ask –" Chessur began

"No." Alice interrupted softly. She was not rude, just definite.

Chessur glanced from the golden doorknob to her watery blue eyes. He softened inside, but remained his usual self on the outside.

"-Isn't that the door to your father's study?" He finished as Alice sped down the hall and around the corner.

"I'm not going in there." Alice snapped. She knew _exactly _what the troublesome cat was thinking.

"Oh, but you'd go _mad _if you did." Chessur purred, glancing into the girl's eyes.

She remained silent.

Chessur sighed. This was going to be more difficult that he first thought.

Alice put the mirror under a blanket as soon as she reached her room. She got out of the many layers of clothing a woman had to wear in society (a rule and custom that she utterly detested with such a passion) and changed into a clean nightgown. She tugged and pulled her hair loose from the many holds of hairpins, before dumping said pins on her dresser. Her hair fell to her shoulders; blonde locks cascading down to frame her face.

Smiling, she uncovered the mirror and set it up on her bedside table so she could see into it when she lay down.

"Chessur." She called tiredly.

"Yes, Alice?"

"Will I have that strange dream of us having a conversation about tea etiquette again?"

Chessur chuckled. "No luv. Most likely not."

There was a moment of silence where Chessur curled up in a circle, closing his eyes.

"Chessur?" Alice murmured.

Chessur opened one eye. "Yes?"

"I miss Wonderland." Alice yawned. "I mean, Underland."

Chessur opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at the sleeping girl.

"It's not the same without you, Alice."

Alice, on the strange brink of sleep, felt something light, like a butterfly's wing, but furry, briefly touch her cheek, before she fell into a peaceful slumber.

"Happy birthday Alice."


End file.
